Thursday, February 22, 1968
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
12
This Ryun picture was selected as one of the 50 best sports photos of 1966.
KU's premier miler is also top photographer
By Carla Rupp
Breaking track records is not Jim Ryun's only achievement.
The world record holder in the mile and 1,500 meters also has been recognized for his excellence in photography.
For example, a picture Ryun shot of a boy who had just finished washing his dog won second place in the Kansas-Missouri Associated Press photography contest.
Another Ryun photo of Kansas City Chiefs halfback Mike Garrett being tackled by a Boston Patriots lineman was selected as one of the 50 best sports pictures of 1966 and was included in the book "Best Sports Stories, 1967." This photo also won second place in the sports division of the National Intercollegiate Photography Contest.
"These two pictures received awards because of my ability as a photographer, not my name as a runner," Ryu said. "I want people to know photography is something I can do besides run."
Ryun currently works as a student photographer for the Topeka Capital-Journal.
He not only takes pictures at basketball games, track meets and football games, but also gets feature assignments.
For instance, last summer Ryun was assigned to fellow Gov. Robert Docking's pet cat around the governor's mansion. A whole page of his pictures of the cat appeared in the Capital-Journal.
"Jim didn't seem to enjoy following the cat around, but with his super ability he was able to get some unusual shots," said Rich Clarkson, photo director for the Capital-Journal.
Ryun's career in photography began during his trip to the Soviet-American track meet in Russia in his senior year at Wichita East High School. Clarkson, who had been traveling to meets with Ryun while photographing the star miler for free-lance assignments, loaned him a camera and eight rolls of color film before he left so Ryun could photograph the trip for the Capital-Journal.
Clarkson said he had little idea then that Ryun's pictures would be usable.
"However they were all good except maybe eight," he said. "The interesting thing that indicated his ability as a photographer were his subjects."
Ryun was not paid for that first assignment because it was directly concerned with his running.
"I did not want to compromise Jim's athletic eligibility," Clarkson said.
However, when Ryun enrolled as a freshman at KU. Clarkson hired Jim as one of the newspaper's part-time student helpers.
Photographs courtesy of Topeka Capital-Journal
Ryun's candid scene of a small child and his freshly-bathed dog won second place in an Associated Press photo contest.
Capital-Journal photo director Rich Clarkson caught Ryun shooting a basketball game.